传道书 6

1 我见日光之下有一宗祸患重压在人身上，

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

2 就是人蒙 神赐他资财、丰富、尊荣，以致他心里所愿的一样都不缺，只是 神使他不能吃用，反有外人来吃用。这是虚空，也是祸患。

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 人若生一百个儿子，活许多岁数，以致他的年日甚多，心里却不得满享福乐，又不得埋葬；据我说，那不到期而落的胎比他倒好。

If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:

4 因为虚虚而来，暗暗而去，名字被黑暗遮蔽，

for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

5 并且没有见过天日，也毫无知觉；这胎，比那人倒享安息。

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

6 那人虽然活千年，再活千年，却不享福，众人岂不都归一个地方去吗？

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, do not all go to one place?

7 人的劳碌都为口腹，心里却不知足。

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 这样看来，智慧人比愚昧人有什么长处呢？穷人在众人面前知道如何行，有什么长处呢？

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

9 眼睛所看的比心里妄想的倒好。这也是虚空，也是捕风。

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

10 先前所有的，早已起了名，并知道何为人，他也不能与那比自己力大的相争。

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

11 加增虚浮的事既多，这与人有什么益处呢？

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

12 人一生虚度的日子，就如影儿经过，谁知道什么与他有益呢？谁能告诉他身后在日光之下有什么事呢？

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?